Wednesday, March 5, 2014

INDIANAPOLIS--The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track & Field Committee announced Tuesday the participants for next weekend' s NCAA Division I indoor track & field championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The University of Washington will have six athletes participating, led by its men's distance medley relay squad of South Puget Sound natives Meron Simon, Quadelle Satterwhite, Derrick Daigre, and Izaic Yorks, which won the MPSF title last week in 9:31.82, the second fastest time in school history, and the fastest ever run by a Husky squad at the Dempsey.

Yorks, the fifth man in Washington school history to break four minutes in the mile, is also entered in the mile, thanks to his 3:59.04 mark set at the Husky Classic in mid-February.

Washington's pole vaulting duo of Jax Thoirs and Diamara Planell Cruz (above/photo courtesy University of Washington) also made the cut for next week's nationals.

Thoirs is tied for sixth nationally with a best of 18-0 ½ (5.50m), which he set in the same Albuquerque Convention Center that will host the finals. Planell Cruz posted her season-best of 13-11.25 (4.25m) back at the first meet of the season in mid-January, and she missed the MPSF Championships with a wrist injury, but will hope the wrist is strong enough to let her compete on meet day.

Thoirs is the first Husky in the men’s vault field since teammate J.J. Juilfs in 2011, while Planell Cruz is the first female to make it since Kelley Divesta earned All-America honors in 2008.

Washington State's Jesse Jorgensen, the upset winner of the men's 800 at last week's MPSF championship meet, made the cut in the 800.

Other notables in the NCAA title meet with Washington ties include Bellevue HS grad Michael Williams of Princeton in the mile, and Rainier Beach HS grad Michael Berry in the 400 and the 4 x 400 meter relay.

With no qualifying standards in place, the top 16 individuals and the top 12 relay teams advanced to the national championships.

ESPN3 will stream the meet live on March 14 starting at 7:55 p.m. Eastern and March 15 starting at 7:50 p.m. Eastern. A tape delay of the championship will air Saturday, March 22 starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU.

We are honored to receive this award, as it comes from our peers who passionately cover the sport, and strive to continue the legacy of excellence that the late Adam Jacobs sought before his untimely passing.

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About Me

Internationally respected track and field writer Paul Merca brings his take on the sport to paulmerca.blogspot.com.
Paul was the assistant director of communications for the 1984 USA Women's Olympic Marathon Trials in Olympia, WA., and public relations director for the 1999 USA Cross Country Championships in Tacoma, WA.
The current public address announcer for the University of Washington's home track and field meets, Merca's been a media assistant to the USA national team (2001-11, 13, 15) at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
His vast knowledge of the sport has been utilized by many of the country's sports television networks, and is a senior writer to Northwest Runner magazine. He's covered twelve IAAF World Track & Field Championships, and two Olympics.
Merca graduated from Seattle's Franklin High School in 1977, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1981 in Communications.
He competed in track and cross country at Franklin, and ran cross country at the University of Washington.